Monthly Archives: October 2013

Dog Ear Publishing releases “Firefly: A Skyraider’s Story About America’s Secret War Over Laos” by Richard Diller.

Not much is known about the Skyraiders who served in the conflict in Southeast Asia. In this new memoir, a former air force pilot shares his experiences of flying hundreds of night missions over Laos. Laos became involved in the war through internal battles and by providing a vital route structure, known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, for supplies intended for the North Vietnamese Army in South Vietnam. A-1 Skyraider pilots—like the author—flew propeller-driven airplanes which could stay over a target or survivor for an extended time, carry a wide variety of ordnance and absorb a lot of hits. The brave pilots faced guns and mountains in northern Laos and ground fire in southern Laos.

In Firefly: A Skyraider’s Story About America’s Secret War Over Laos, Richard Diller describes missions and how they affected him in exacting detail, drawing on flight logs and audiotapes he sent to his parents, sometimes recorded minutes after returning from a mission. The book also shares details of life on the base—Diller spent a year based at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, about 300 miles northeast of Bangkok—and the feelings combat pilots deal with every day. This comprehensive insider’s look at an air force pilot’s life ranges from the frustration of endless testing to near-misses during training runs to heart-pounding night missions featuring impossible-to-find targets. Photos put faces to names, and readers will feel like they’re right in the cockpit with Diller as he flies mission after mission.

Author Richard Diller received an officer’s commission in the U.S. Air Force through ROTC at the University of Oklahoma. He went through pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and flew more than 200 missions over Laos. Diller flew for 29 years for Delta Air Lines, serving as a line check airman and captain representative to the Air Line Pilots Association for Chicago-based Delta pilots. Diller, who grew up in Princeton, Illinois, is married and has three children and five grandchildren.

Dog Ear Publishing releases “The City Kittens and the Old House Cat” by Mrs. D.

New arrivals to the family bring an unexpected change of heart to a cat set in her ways in this new illustrated book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

Christmastime means time spent with family, both the two-legged and four-legged variety. Nyda, adopted when she was just a little lost calico kitten, has led a calm, uneventful life with her human family for years. In this charming new children’s book, everything changes when the family’s older daughter brings two playful kittens home to visit the day before Christmas. Although Nyda finds them annoying, Mickey and Jack aren’t the spoiled kittens she imagines.

“The City Kittens and the Old House Cat” tells the story of Nyda and her dislike of the visitors, who arrive with pretty collars with bells that make noise everywhere they go. She defends her food dish and gives them dirty looks as they play under the Christmas tree. It’s not until Nyda hears about their rescue from a harsh life on the streets with a sick mama cat that she realizes she has more in common with the kittens than she thought.

This simple but touching fable about being welcoming to others and sharing works equally well for reading aloud as a family or for curling up with in a cozy corner. Mrs. D. knows how to convey the magical spirit of Christmas and its message of love and friendship. The illustrations, created by MikeMotz.com, are dramatic and vivid.

Author Olga D’Agostino, known as Mrs. D., grew up on a farm by the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine, surrounded by nature. Her childhood featured an imaginary world she filled with characters from books she read. She and her two small daughters immigrated to the United States in 1992. D’Agostino, who speaks many languages, has also written other illustrated children’s books: “Carlo the Mouse on Vacation,” “The Trees Have Hearts,” Good Morning, World,” and “Carlo the Mouse, Book 1: Too Many Rules for One Little Mouse.” “The Trees Have Hearts” was awarded a 2013 Mom’s Choice Award. She is already working on several other books for children, including more adventures starring Carlo the Mouse, and “Runaway Clothes,” “The Mysterious Life Inside a Closet,” “Everyone Needs Someone: The Royal Palm,” “Who Is Most Important in the Fridge” and “That Is How Things Are.”

Author Joseph Malvinni shares the ups and downs of his 30-year career as a hair stylist in this new book released by Dog Ear Publishing. Malvinni provides valuable information about the tips and tricks that led to his longevity in a business that thrives on change.

As a kid, Joseph Malvinni had no intention of becoming a hairstylist. His father was the neighborhood barber, and he grew up in the barbershop; the busy buzz of the shop was appealing, and Joseph found himself spending all of his free time there, soaking up the atmosphere. As this new book describes, after he graduated from high school, Joseph found himself directionless, so he chose to enter hairdressing school in hopes of generating an income after only a year of study. Little did he know this decision would lead to a decades-long career that would shape his life and family.

Through the years, Joseph honed his styling skills and gleaned information from his employers, eventually venturing out to open his own salon. Through trial and error, Joseph eventually settled into the salon that would become his “home” and developed a loyal client base. There were trials, but with help from faithful employees and his loving wife, Maryanne, Joseph managed to prevail, making “the world a better place, one haircut at a time.”

“The Seasoned Stylist” offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a working hair stylist, with fun anecdotes about the crazy antics one can find in a salon. Author Joseph Malvinni, who has been a working hairstylist for more than 30 years, delves into his long career to provide helpful hints to anyone interested in opening a small business. Malvinni lives with his wife, Maryanne, and enjoys visiting with his children and grandchildren. This is his first book.

A toddler and his grandfather find plenty of things to see on a sunny day in this new book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

Few things are better on a beautiful sunlit day than a walk in the park. When young Thomas and his grandfather go out for a walk, they see the same things but from different perspectives. Thomas loves everything he sees, but his grandfather finds fault with everything in this charming new illustrated children’s book.

“Good Morning, World!” explores the wonders of nature and its colorful characters like the golden sun, pretty flowers, and squabbling birds. Thomas is delighted when ladybugs spiral up into the air, but his grandfather is worried about being bitten. Thomas loves seeing the jumping frogs and sweet lizards, but his grandfather thinks the park is dangerous. By the end of their walk, Thomas is delighted with all the happy things he saw while his grandfather is delighted to be able to finally take a nap. Dynamic drawings by Eladziem provide a powerful counterpoint to the whimsical story.

Author Olga D’Agostino, aka Mrs. D, immigrated to the United States from western Ukraine in 1992 with her two small daughters. D’Agostino, who speaks many languages, has written other illustrated children’s books, including “Carlo the Mouse, Book 1: Too Many Rules for One Little Mouse,” “Carlo the Mouse on Vacation,” “The Trees Have Hearts,” and “The City Kittens and the Old House Cat.” “The Trees Have Hearts” was awarded a 2013 Mom’s Choice Award. She is working on several new children’s books, including more adventures starring Carlo the Mouse, and “Runaway Clothes,” “The Mysterious Life Inside a Closet,” “Everyone Needs Someone: The Royal Palm,” “Who Is Most Important in the Fridge” and “That Is How Things Are.” She lives in Smithville, N.J., with her husband, and has a grandson to whom she has dedicated this book.

Author and illustrator Anne E. Moses presents the remarkable tale about a wondrous cat who plays for sleeping creatures the world over in this new book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

The Moon has a secret: His best friend is a magical cat who plays the violin and dances for all sleeping creatures, traveling on moonbeams around the world. This charming new children’s book shares all the places Gatos Musikos visits and the wonders he sees. No creatures are too big or too small, too urban or too remote for Gatos to play his little violin and dance his twirling dance for them as they dream.

“Gatos Musikos – A Secret Told by the Moon” weaves a wonderful tale that showcases animals and cultures from around the world. When the Moon is young and dinosaurs still refuse to go sleep despite all his efforts to soothe them, a very tired baby brontosaurus finally drifts off. The Moon watches in amazement as a marvelous cat appears and begins playing his little violin and dancing a twirling dance, easing the baby dinosaur into his dreams. The Moon is so delighted he offers his moonbeams to the cat so he can play and dance for all of Earth’s sleeping creatures. Now Gatos entertains animals from a tiny spider in its web to great Indian elephants and everything in between. He even performs a Scottish sword dance on the banks of Loch Ness as a sleeping Nessie drifts nearby.

After a busy night of traveling on moonbeams, and as dawn breaks softly over the world, Gatos has one last song to play before placing his little violin back into its magical case – this one for his very best friend, the Moon. Children everywhere are invited to believe in moonbeams, secure in the knowledge that they will never be forgotten by this remarkable cat, for Gatos Musikos will play his music and dance his twirling dance for them in their dreams. Enchanting illustrations by the author bring this imaginative bedtime story to life.

Author Anne E. Moses, born in Rochester, N.Y., has lived for many years in Boston, Mass., the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Italy. She and her husband now live in Greece. Moses is a painter, designer and screenwriter, as well as a passionate renovator of old houses. She has also completed six volumes in The Gracie Guides, a series of travel and how-to books “paw-written” by their very clever English Cocker Spaniel, Gracie.

A child enjoys the simple pleasures of the beach in this new illustrated book released by Dog Ear Publishing.

Beaches are wonderful places to explore and provide endless hours of entertainment – and a special place to take a nap. In this charming new children’s book, author ZD Gallup uses pen and ink to describe the magical world of sand and surf. With nothing more than a pail, shovel and dump truck, a small child and their caregiver explore the beach.

“Nap Time at the Beach” offers an up-close and personal look at the beach, where children can dig and cover up with cool moist sand as the waves say, woosh, wamp, woosh. Wading, climbing up sand dunes and watching birds scamper up and down the beach makes kids sleepy, and a beach tent provides an inviting sanctuary for a nap. Evoking a simpler time, Gallup’s gentle prose and striking illustrations add up to a beautifully told tale of a day at the beach.

Author and illustrator ZD Gallup has a bachelor’s degree in drawing and printmaking and works in mixed media and fiber in her design studio. Gallup, who is a grandmother, has spent lots of time on beaches, in spite of living in Girdwood, Alaska.

Kids move to a small town in Wisconsin and form a gang to fight bullying and racial intolerance in this new book released by Dog Ear Publishing. Along the way, they win the chance to have a circus come to town that sets a chain of events in motion.

The Coffey family trades in a close-knit Milwaukee neighborhood for a rural village in central Wisconsin, lured by a new job and promise of a new life. In this new novel, set in 1938, Carl Sr. has accepted a position as school principal and basketball coach in Chester, and 12-year-old Carl Jr. and his younger brother Perkin must find their place in a new town. They soon make new friends and form the Logging Road Gang to right moral wrongs. When the circus comes to town and a girl disappears, the town becomes divided and Carl Jr. must share all he knows.

“The Logging Road Gang” blends descriptions of small-town life with Mark Twain-style humor and adventures. The family’s new home proves to be a bit of a disappointment for Carl’s mother as she surveys the sagging linoleum and outhouse. Author Buzz Humke ably describes colorful characters like Eddie, a woods-savvy kid who likes to tease and torment Carl Jr.; Shorty, a witty chicken farmer who is more than he appears; and Ice Herman, an iceman who knows town secrets. The Coffeys don’t set out to shake up the town, which seems backward in many ways, but soon band together to bring progress and – even more importantly hope – to Chester.

Author Buzz Humke served as recreation director for the city of Madison, Wis., and wrote a book about the city’s public recreation program. He and his wife, Ellen Ruth, have been married for more than 50 years.